U. S. Women Soccer Superstars Victims of Their Success

U. S. Women Soccer Superstars Victims of Their Success With the imminent withdrawal of long-veterans Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett and U. S. Women 's National Soccer Team, I often find the opportunity to think my family has seen their hero on the field and their positive influence it. But the last game we saw in person stands out as a very different experience of the first part, we have seen there are almost nine years. Last summer I attended a football match between Brazil and the U.S. women? S National in New Orleans with my teenage daughter, Leah. It 'been a good game with lots of action on a beautiful sunny afteoon, and the U.S. team won on a goal Tiffeny Milbrett in the 90th minute. Leah and I, it was a bittersweet experience. It was a wonderful? Father and daughter? 42-hour drive from our home in St. Petersburg, Florida, New Orleans and back. We talked, we laughed, and we listened to each other? S music for each of 20 hours and 1393 miles by car. During our brief stay we visited Bourbon Street at night and the Café du Monde for breakfast. But our trip was to focus to see our soccer heroes in action again. That? S right, I said that our hero. Since that rainy night in February 1996, when we saw our national team play in Tampa, these outstanding women became my heroes, as are my daughters? heroes. I remember being surprised, as I have seen for the first time? their skills, strength and passion for games. But it was after the game, as I have been won a fan. Earlier that day, Nicole, my daughter asked me if she should bear the official U. S. Women 's National Team Calendar for autographs. My answer -? This is our national team with the best players in the world. I doubt you get any autographs, "I said." With the rainy season, we win? Do not waste your time, but bring your book if autographs. When the game ended, I could not believe my eyes. Each player came to the bleachers, where about 1900 fans were waiting with impatience. Not only were ready to sign autographs, but each of the stakeholders have their PENS! They talked with fans, posed for photos, and more importantly, that seem really fun. We immediately connected. Since then we have been extremely fortunate to attend some of their most important games of the 1996 gold medal at the Olympics in Atlanta in 1999, the history of women? D World Cup championship game in Los Angeles, and even Mia Hamm? S time to record the goals of their careers in Orlando in 1999. We? I had several meetings with stakeholders, including clinics, autograph sessions, and have also attended some training sessions in Orlando. Five years ago, while Leah worked as a junior reporter for the St. Petersburg Times, has written five characteristics of weeks X-Press Page for kids. On the road, Leah interviewed nearly every team and head coach Tony Dicicco. Then, twelve years, has written a book, Soccer Dreams, to share his adventure to promote the positive values leaed of the team, and encouraging readers to dream big! E 'was published last year and has eaed very positive reviews on Amazon.com. Therefore, our commitment to the wife? National is deep. Family, football is a unifying force since Leah and Nicole played on the same team U-8, which I coach. This sport has provided us with countless memories, as participants and spectators. So why, one wonders, was bittersweet, New Orleans, to see our team again after more than four years, nothing but game shows? Most of the players are the same, and all had the same intensity on the floor? I would expect. But this time the team had already broken. Since 1999, women? D World Cup, hordes of them, wherever they play. On that day New Orleans, which played before 15,000 spectators, with a live audience on national television and a horde of media members of their movement. They were all enjoying the fruits of their many years of work. Their dreams a few years ago, playing in front of large crowds, they acknowledged, has been done - repeatedly. Initially, we wanted nothing more than to give them their due, to enable them to enjoy their success. Now live like superstars, they have always been, with fans hanging in the lobby and screaming for autographs wherever they go. Easy access is probably lost forever. The recognition and understanding that has opened eyes. Imagine you are a fan of Bruce Springsteen in the early Stone Pony days before the explosion of fame and glory. Perhaps you have had the opportunity to speak with him, maybe even hang out with him. If you knew that was something special and you want to reach the rarefied air of superstardom when he did, was your little secret. No more casual chat. No more hanging out. Now that you're lucky to get a ticket at the place of a nose scalp. But of course, as Bruce, as you may try, our national team can not satisfy everyone. They still carry their own pens for autographs after games, but now we have increased after the demands of the media. While goalkeeper Briana Scurry on the ESPN post-game interview today in New Orleans, before Cindy Parlow and Mia Hamm were the first to be interviewed by local media, followed by forward Tiffeny Milbrett, defender Brandi Chastain, and head coach April Heinrichs. The rest of the players signed autographs, but with 15,000 fans, was simply impossible to take into account all the fans. Leah t Do not try to get autographs during the day. E 'already, and that day we also had field photo credentials. Not only is the collection of autographs taboo "objective" joualists, but the memories of the game is in the photos we captured. After the game, players on board the bus, I saw a woman approaching a team official. It was crazy Ranting and has five hours to bring her daughter to play and that she didn? T get autographs of the players. The team official explained that the players signed autographs for about half an hour inside the stadium, which is true. Apparently, this woman and her daughter had been placed in the wrong place and had retued home empty-handed. As she stormed off, he yelled,? Booo woman? National S! I? Ll never come to another game! Booo? I am sure other fans disappointed and empty handed or with only one or two autographs. I am also certain that this woman? Experiment will be repeated during the 10-Thursday's Fan Celebration Tour and in the future games. Our national team players are victims of their success. After working so hard for so long to develop the support of their fans, it's simply impossible for them to continue to be accessible and to provide autographs for every fan who wants one. So if you have the opportunity to see our national team play this year or in any other game in the future will benefit the power, intensity and passion of these talented athletes put into their effort. If you're really lucky, and get an autograph or two, even better. You should 't be disappointed if it does not t get autographs. And we must ensure that the child may not be possible this time, thus reducing their disappointment. Finally, as you are driving home, take the opportunity to focus on your children, with positive values (work, commitment, perseverance), illustrate these incredible athletes. These are the lessons that we all want our children to lea. About the Author Chris Lauber is the photographer, publisher and editor of Soccer Dreams, written by his daughter, Leah, to describe his true adventure following the U. S. Women 's National Soccer Team, as a fan and a 12 - years Junior Reporter during the historic 1999 women? s World Cup. He is receiving excellent reviews on Amazon.com. Football Dreams, buying on Amazon November 8 and receive numerous awards. To receive an update, send us an e-mail to WWCSoccerDreams@aol.com.